Monthly Masterclasses for clowns of all experience levels.

To Attend Masterclass Join CLOWN SPIRIT VILLAGE

Making Friends With Your Inner Critic 

with HOLLY STOPPIT 

Everyone has an inner critic, a voice inside who would prefer us not to take risks, not to be silly, expose our vulnerability or do anything that might provoke criticism, rejection or abandonment from others.

Our inner critics can show up at any point in the creative process; they can stop us from setting foot into a clown workshop and they can sabotage our early dreams of making our own clown performance. If we do manage to get onto a stage, they can halt us mid-performance or they might lurk in the wings and berate us after the curtain call.

Our critics could be seen as the enemy of clowning, but what if we could view them as over-protective friends who are trying to keep us safe? In turning towards our critics with curiosity and compassion, we can discover how they are trying to help us and what they are afraid will happen if they don’t do what they are doing.

When our critics feel seen, heard and supported by us, they tend to soften and relax, which makes more space for us to play! Sometimes we can even play with our critics!

In this 2 ½ hour masterclass, Holly Stoppit dips into her extensive toolkit of dramatherapy, somatic meditation, embodied parts work and Internal Family Systems (IFS) and clowning to help you make friends with your inner critic.

 

When Is It?  

FRIDAY JULY 3rd
9am (PST), 12pm (EST), 5pm (UK), 6pm (EU)
(The class will last approx 2.5 hours) 

 

Where is it?

Zoom. All Clown Spirit Masterclasses are online.
(We only work with teachers who already have extensive experience of teaching their work online)

 

How Do I Join?

  • Become a CLOWN SPIRIT VILLAGER for 1 month
  • You choose whether to pay US$35, US$59 or US$85 (see the criteria for self-selection)
  • Your membership will give you access not only to the masterclass but to the full archive of past masterclasses, weekly coaching calls and much more.
  • If one masterclass is enough for you, cancel your CLOWN SPIRIT VILLAGE membership at any time (no commitment).
  • >>FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CLOWN SPIRIT VILLAGE.

Eccentric Dance

With CLEO DEORIO

 

What is eccentric dance? We know it when we see it, but can we put it into words? And what happens when we put it into our bodies?

In this class we will move between theory and practice, exploring the history of eccentric dance, from Vaudeville to modern usages, as well as discovering what it means to find and express our unique eccentricities through dance.

Students will learn a piece of choreography and develop an array of eccentric movements that will be used to create a piece of repeatable solo work. Get ready to explore shapes, lines, and movements that make us laugh.

Everyone has a different silly, can you channel yours?

 

 

When Is It? 

SATURDAY AUGUST 1st
9am (PST), 12pm (EST), 5pm (UK), 6pm (EU)
(The class will last approx 2.5 hours) 

 

Where is it?

Zoom. All Clown Spirit Masterclasses are online.
(We only work with teachers who already have extensive experience of teaching their work online)

 

How Do I Join?

  • Become a CLOWN SPIRIT VILLAGER for 1 month
  • You choose whether to pay US$35, US$59 or US$85 (see the criteria for self-selection)
  • Your membership will give you access not only to the masterclass but to the full archive of past masterclasses, weekly coaching calls and much more.
  • If one masterclass is enough for you, cancel your CLOWN SPIRIT VILLAGE membership at any time (no commitment).
  • >>FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CLOWN SPIRIT VILLAGE.

 

The Teachers...

About Holly

About Cleo

Holly Stoppit (also known as Holly Stoddart) is a UK-based clown performer, director, and teacher whose work sits at the intersection of performance, play, and therapeutic practice. Raised within her family’s touring circus-theatre company, she developed an early love of clowning and a deep appreciation for the transformative power of laughter. Over a career spanning more than two decades, she has performed widely across circus, street theatre, cabaret, and devised performance, collaborating with companies including Nofit State Circus, Oily Cart, and The Invisible Circus, as well as co-founding Ramshacklicious.

Alongside performing, Holly has built an extensive directing and facilitation practice, supporting artists and communities to create original work across a wide range of scales and contexts. Her passion for the inner life of creativity led her to complete an MA in Dramatherapy, where she developed “Clown-o-therapy,” an approach exploring the mental health benefits of clowning.

Holly is the founder of Beyond The Ridiculous and co-creator of The Online Clown Academy. Her work now integrates clowning, meditation, and Internal Family Systems (IFS), offering workshops, trainings, and creative consultancy that support personal insight, emotional resilience, and authentic expression.

Cleo DeOrio (she/her) is a Physical Theatre and Dance director/teacher from Cleveland, Ohio. Cleo received a BA from Baldwin Wallace University in Directing and Choreography, and an MFA from Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, where she developed works such as Citizens of Nowhere and Visions of a Crying Girl. Cleo is Faculty of Dance and Movement at Dell’Arte International and resident Director of 1230 Clowns in Las Vegas, NV . She specializes in storytelling through movement, physical character development, partnering techniques, and devising. Visit her website at cleodeorio.com

The Next 6 Months of Masterclasses...

What Participants Are Saying...

Deb Rich

Clown Spirit is a remarkable resource for meeting and conversing with master clowns from around the globe. The access to masterclasses on a monthly basis is beyond my wildest dreams come true. Today's class with Jeff Raz was eye opening and heart opening on so many levels. Masterful teaching of the inner workings of clowning. Thank you Barnaby for building the extraordinary Clown Spirit!

Robin Eriksson

The Masterclass series has been pure magic. It's hard to put into words how transformative it is to be a part of it and all it offers. The practices and wisdom shared in each one is a gift in itself; compound the workshops and it is truly a winfall! I am so grateful for the constant inspiration and encouragement, and for what I am learning about myself and clowning. Did I mention, Clown Spirit is M.A.G.I.C.? 

Brian Sutherland

 

Just took this amazing class thanks to Barnaby King! I highly recommend doing some of the Master classes. I can’t believe how much play we got to do in this workshop with the amazing Joe Dieffenbacher 🤡 Thanks to both of you. One of the best zoom Classes yet!

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